Shoe creaser



Nov. 20, 1928.

G. H. WILKINS SHOE CREASER Filed June 8, 1928 Patented Nov. 20, 1.928. i

UNITED STATES PAT-ENroFI-ICEL GEORGE H. WILKINS, OEBROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG'NOR To GEO. E. AKEITH COMPANY, OE CAMPELLO, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OE MAssACHUsETTSr SHOE CREASR.

Application-filed June s, 192s. serial Narasaseli.

This invention relates to an implement of the Character Vshown by Letters Patent of the United lStatesNo. 870,265, dated Noveinber, 1907, for creasing thevamp of a shoe, said implement being adapted for useiby a salesman to form creases in the upper part of the Vamp while the shoe is being fitted to a customers foot. The implement `comprises a handle and anoblong wire loop, fixed to the handle and including longitudinalparallel side members forming the -sides of the loop; Hereto'fore the 4wire fof which the loop is mad-e has been cylindrical and circular in cross Section, so that a crease, formed by re ciprocating a side member of the loop and pressing it against the vamp, conforms to the circular cross Section of the wire, and is not variable in width by turning or rocking the side member on its longitudinal axis during the creasing operation.

IV have found that the vamp may be more advantageously conformed to the foot bv widening the crease after it has been initially formed, without increasing its depth, and that such widening can best be effected by rocking the side member On its longitudinal axis while reciprocating it, and exerting pressure on it. I have, therefore, improved the form of each side member of the loop in such manner as to permit the widening of the crease by a rocking movement of a side member of the loop on its longitudinal axis.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speoification,-

Figure 1 is a side view of a shoe creaser embodying my improvement.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the same. Y Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3 3 of Figure 1, looking toward the handle.

Figure 4 is a perspective viewy of a shoe showing creases sunk bythe implement in the upper portion of thevamp. v

*igure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view,

showing the vamp in sectionon line 5-5 of,

Figure 4, andthe creaser as shown by Figure 3, in position to simultaneously and initially sink two creases in the Vamp.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5, showing the creaser in position to cause'the action of only one of its side members.

Figures 7, 8. and 9 are fragmentary sectional views on alarger scale, showing one of the side members and illustratingthe operation of widening acrease without increasing its depth. Y y i Figure 7 f shows the creased portion of the vamp shown by Figure 7.

Figure ,8a Shows the creased portion of theS die, and a neck 14, forming the outer end of the loop. v In describing the Side member, I will refer `particularly to Figures 5 to 9, Showing these members on a larger scale than that shown by Figures 1 and 2. yEach side member'is designated by 15, and has oppositely inclined flat longitudinal faces 16, and a narrow fillet 17 between said faces. The fillet and the pair of faces 16 converging toit, constitute a longitudinal creasing ridge. The wire may be drawn or otherwise formed, so

' that it; has a pluralityof said'faces and fillets,

and therefore a plurality of creasing ridges, as shown.

The faces and fill-et of each .ridge are adapted to act conjointly in forming a rela tively narrow crease 18 (Figure 7 in a vamp j 19, when the loop member is reciprocated endwise and pressedV against thev vamp, the bottom of the crease being formed bythe fillet, which provides the ridge with a bluntk longitudinal apex, so that thebottom'of the crease is not obj-ectionably angular.

Thefaces 16 of said ridges are adapted to act alternately in widening the crease without increasing` its depth, as indicated by AFigures 8 and 9, and Figures 8a and 9a. This alternate action is caused by rocking or turn-A ing the member 15 on its longitudinal axis.

`Figure 8 shows the member turned, to cause one of the ridge faces 16 towiden the crease in one direction. F igure 9 shows the member turned to cause the other ridge `tace to widen the crease in the opposite direction.

Figure 5 shows the implement used `to initially form two creases simnltaneously7 creasing ridges of the two side members l5 being pressed against and reciprocated on the vamp., Y

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the implement used to widen an initially formed narrow crease, a creasing ridge ol' only one side meinber l5 being pressed against and reciprocated on the vamp. e

The outer end portions ot the members l5 are shown by'Figuies l and t2, as provided `with oliset protuberances 2l, as in the ini'- plement shown by the above-mentioned patent7 these protuberances having a lin'ntedv bearing on the vamp Vand being adapted to set the creases. l prefer to extend the creasf ing ridges through the said protuberances.

lt will .now be seen that the implement may be used to simultaneously sini; two relatively narrow creases-in the vamp, and then to widen said creases by separate operations,

each involving the use of one of tlie side meinbers l5. i

l claim l l. A shoe-creasing implement comprising an oblong loop ot wire, secured at one end to a, handle and including a. longitudinalv Side member having flat .longitudinal faces op? positely inclined, and aV narrow `fillet between said faces, the side faces and fillet collectively 4forming a longitudinal creasing ridge and being adapted to acticonjointly in forming a relatively narrow crease, the bottom of which is 'lorinedby the iillet, the-implement being operable to cause the side l'aces to act alternately in widening Athe crease,Y without increasing the depththereot il. i shoe-creasing implement as specified by claim l, the side member being provided with a protuberant portion at its outer end, and `the creasing ridge being extended tlircughsaid pretuberant portion.

ln testimony whereof I have affixed 'my signature.

GEORGE n. iviiinnvs. 

